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World No. 2 Novak Djokovic was announced in the draw for the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday, despite his status to enter the United States still uncertain due to being unvaccinated.
“Novak Djokovic is on the tournament entry list, and therefore is placed into the draw today,” the California tournament said in a statement on Tuesday. “We are currently in communication with his team; however, it has not been determined if he will participate in the event by getting CDC approval to enter the country.”
It’s the latest setback for Djokovic, the 20-time major champion, in what has become a tumultuous 2022. He was deported from Australia in January after initially receiving a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open and then having his visa revoked by the Australian government. He has since played in just one tournament — a quarterfinal appearance in Dubai — and it remains unclear how many events he will be able to play as a result of his unvaccinated status. He was recently ousted from the No. 1 ranking by Daniil Medvedev.
Djokovic told the BBC he would be willing to skip majors in the future if a vaccine was required. “Yes, that is the price that I’m willing to pay,” he said in February.
Djokovic publicly stated his desire to play at the Masters 1000-level event in Indian Wells, California but said in Dubai last month he wasn’t sure if he would be able to enter the country. He has yet to provide a further update.
The men’s main draw gets underway on Thursday and seeded players receive a first-round bye. Djokovic is currently scheduled to play the winner of the opening-round match between Jordan Thompson and David Goffin in a second-round match on Saturday or Sunday.